Pop Star Cues Up Student Supplies

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Pop Star Cues Up Student Supplies
Class-y: Pharrell Williams

Yoobi, an El Segundo school and office supply company, has launched a collaboration with pop musician Pharrell Williams’ creative collective, I Am Other, which specializes in music, film, TV, fashion and technology.

“It was a natural fit to work with I Am Other,” according to Ido Leffler, Yoobi’s chief executive, who said that by collaborating with the collective, “We found kids through social media and focus groups from all walks of life to participate in creating the unique collection.”

The more than 50 kid-designed and -inspired items include limited-edition notebooks and binders, backpacks, pens and pencils, folders, and lunch bags, ranging in price from 99 cents to $29.99. Yoobi has a longstanding relationship with Target Corp., which carries the line.

Yoobi donates a portion of each purchase to a K-5 classroom in need, something a spokeswoman said has helped the company to 50 percent year-over-year growth in back-to-school sales. Yoobi has given supplies to more than 1.5 million children across the country, including Los Angeles Unified School District students, since launching in 2014.

The company has nearly doubled its staff to 22 from 12 during that period, and will be moving to a larger office space in El Segundo later this month. Leffler said the company, which has a retail outlet in Arcadia, plans to open a second L.A. store in the near future.

“The store is a lab for us,” he said. “We can test items, bring in creativity, and learn what’s working and what we can improve.”

– Kristin Marguerite Doidge

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